Correlates of HIV Risky Sexual Behaviours in an Era of Antiretroviral Therapy Scale‐Up: A Cross-Sectional Study among the Adult General Population in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Analyses of HIV incidence in Nasarawa State Nigeria estimate that most of the new HIV infections occur among persons who reported low HIV risk including couples. The study was aimed at identifying the factors that predict risky sexual behavior among the general population in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. Data analysis was carried on a total of 801 respondents sampled from the general population of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The original sample was obtained through a two-stage cluster sampling technique using probability proportionate to size. The primary outcome variable was risky sexual behavior. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between the outcome and selected Sociodemographic and other independent variables. Females were 54.2% of the total sampled population analysed, the mean age of the respondents was 29.8 years (SD: 10.3). About two-third of the respondents engaged in risky sexual behaviours (65.9%) but only 4.7% considered themselves to be at high risk of HIV. The multivariable regression analysis showed that factors associated with risky sexual behaviour included : been male sex [OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.436-0.915], married [OR: 0.26: 95% CI: 0.163 - 0.419], rural resident [OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.775 to 1.871 ], age 20-24 [OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.113 - 3.360] and 25-29 years [OR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.267-1.308]; and knowledge of HIV [OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.056-2.108].There is a need to urgently intensify media campaigns, community-based interventions including one on one communications to reduce risky sexual behaviours.